Drafts for the October 2006 Newsletter

Zirker News

Things are pretty much the same in the Zirker household. Darrick is busy with school and seminary. The girls keep growing up faster and faster. Camille just tries to keep up with the girls. Darrick took another set of boards at the beginning of the month and passed with flying colors. He takes the next part next week. Then only one more set to go before graduation! Yeah! He started teaching early morning seminary this month and is really enjoying it. It has really helped us all to be better at going to bed earlier.

Camden is such a big girl. She is taking dance classes and really liking them. She is really getting an imagination. I am always finding her talking to one stuffed animal or another. She even has me set the timer for them to be in “time-out” at times. She has also started to pick up and enjoy scrapbooking. She still loves to read and was even reading to Dakota the other day and told me she was teaching her how to read. Camden stayed with her little friend Keira while Darrick, Dakota and I went to Virginia for Darrick’s brother Ryan’s wedding. She did great. We wonder if she even missed us at all.

Dakota is so much fun. She is still constantly smiling. Everywhere we go people are commenting on how much she smiles. She is also getting pretty good and taking tantrums and throwing her head back as well. She started walking at the beginning of September and is trying hard to run. She loves to play tag. The walking has led to more bumps and bruised though. She got her first black eye this last week. She loves getting into things and has started to figure out what she can and can’t have and likes to tease us all. She sure is fun.

As for me. Ummm pretty much the same. Cleaning, pushing kids on swings, reading books, compassionate service and then a little scrapbooking or something fun like that occasionally. We planted our first tree a couple of weeks ago. That was a lot of fun. We bought some shrubs that we will probably put in soon as well. It is really starting to get pretty here with all of the leaves changing. I hope that it stays fall for a while. I love it.

We hope that you are all doing great! We love you all.

- the Zirkers

Hello Everyone! The Kimballs are keeping busy in Michigan. Speaking of Michigan, go ahead and plan your trips to visit Detroit because it looks like we are going to be staying here. I know you all wanted to go to the Kentucky Derby, but schedule your vacation around the Woodward Dream Cruise instead. Right Dad and Dallin? We had a GREAT time spending the day with Dad and Dallin in August. It was really fun to have visitors and to share some of our daily lives with family. I think we gave Dallin his feel of what a Mazda MPV looks like on the inside anyway.

Kip is keeping busy at work and enjoying what he does there. He is being forced to go on a miserable business trip in November though. More info on that soon. Ford did some big cut backs with salary employees this month. As of now, it looks like we are in the clear. We will keep you updated. As for now, I don’t know if I have told all of you that we can get a family discount (wholesale) for any of you. Devin, just let us know when you are ready to accept Chevy’s weaknesses.

Isaac started preschool this month and is loving it! He got to take a fossil that he found in the backyard for show and tell last week. We get a daily update around here, and as of today there are only 17 more days until Isaac’s birthday! He has been planning his football party since May! (I have to admit, so have I). He is working on riding his bike without training wheels as well as having a ton of fun playing t-ball.

Meagan is spending lots of time in her kitchen these days. She loves to make birthday cakes! I gave her some of my empty spice bottles and she finds it necessary to sprinkle come chilli powder on just about everything. She has recently learned what fun cutting can be. One morning I left the room while she was cutting to help Isaac on the computer. I heard her crying a minute later and ran in to find that she had poked herself in the ear with her scissors while cutting off one of her curly locks. Thank goodness for those curls (they hide it well) or she might have one of those cute cuts like I gave Carolyn at about that age.

As for me, I feel like I am headed in 15 different directions right now. I am learning a lot about a lot of different things. Is that detailed enough? I am working on a Personality class for my degree. If you want to know about anyone in the families quarks I should be able to tell you in a few months. I am also working as a board member at Isaac’s school. It has been great getting to know some other families in the community.

I am keeping busy with enrichment stuff and teaching gospel doctrine. Trevor, I am looking forward to hearing your insights about the next couple lessons in Isaiah beings that you will get to teach it too.

It’s getting late and I am starting to ramble. I promise next month I won’t write so much.

Basically what is going on my life right now is that I am so happy and that
>life is good.  It has been extremely hectic for me it seems like sometimes
>though. I am sure you all know what that is like. Anyway, I recently made a
>wedding cake for a friend of mine and it turned out pretty good if I do say
>so myself.  I couldn't have made it through without mom though. I loving
>doing that kind of thing and I know it is definitely in my element of
>enjoyment. Hopefully we will be able to get a picture of it put on the
>newsletter so that you can see it.
>  Also, other things are going on my life that have made things excitng.  I
>got a raise at work not a very big one needless to say but every little bit
>helps.  I think I'll probably end up working there a liittle bit longer
>than I planned on but it is a great job.  Oh, by the way my new address for
>anyone if you need it is 562 Legacy Lane.  It is a nice place,  a lot
>cheaper than our last one but it is also substantially smaller. It has a
>nice kitchen area though which I don't mind at all.
>   I recently went on the first date I've been on in a long time.  The guys
>name is Nolan and he is really nice,and probably one of the most
>intelligent people I know. He has Masters Degree in Nuclear Engineering
>from Texas A&M!! It is kind of interesting how we ended up going out
>because he is the only one I was interested in at the branch and is also
>one Brother Belnap told me about when Nolan used to go to the Idaho Falls
>Institute.  So it was just kind of random. I'm not sure how old he is but
>he works at the site (INEL) and really enjoys it. That is about all I can
>say about it.
>
>Happy Halloween EVERYONE! Happy Birthday to Camden and happy late birthday
>to Isaac!  Happy late anniversary to Camille and Darrick!
>Well, to end on a happy and good note and I have decided to insert a quote
>each month because that is just something I do and love I hope you enjoy
>it. I love you all very much and I am so grateful for you endless examples.
>Life is amazing.
>
>QUOTE OF THE MONTH:
>Ok so I have a couple this month because I couldn't choose just one:
>"..........Magnificent is your future, if you will take control of it and
>if you will decide now that you will not let your life drift in a fruitless
>and aimless matter."  -- President Gordon B. Hinckley
>
>"Maybe we should quit worrying so much aobut trying to changed other people
>around and worry more about changing ourselves." ---Linda J. Eyre
>
>These quotes are probably needed more for me than all of you but I know
>they are true and important in everyone's lives.  LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!

Dad and Mom's Newsletter:

This has been a good month.  Things have calmed down a little now.
 Dad and Devin went to Montana right after spud harvest.  They took three of
our heifers to the Nile sale.  They did very well and sold all three for a
great price.  They took Jacob Dexter with them for a little extra help.  He
kept saying "this could be very addicting!" They all had a good time and
felt like it was profitable in many ways.  They brought two new steers home
that they bought from Rob Brawner.  He is the guy we have bought steers from
for the last 2 years.   We are also trying to sell our steer and bull calves
from our calf crop this year.

 Devin ran the scrapper for Spud Harvest.  He felt pretty good about that
and made almost $1000.00 for his work.  He was glad when it was over though.
Now he wants to start spending his money on his truck.
 Devin was  asked to the Halloween Dance by a girl who is a Senior this
year.  Her last name is Crittenden.  He still doesn't know what he is going
to dress up as.
 He gave his project in Mrs. Zirkers class today.  He had to take 30 minutes
talking about Brazil.  He did a good job.  He even served Brigadeiros and
Moose de Maracuja.  The students loved it.
 Dad continues to stay very busy at work.  He is also enjoying his new
calling as Sunday School President.  It is very nice to have him home on
Sunday and Tuesday nights!
  I continue to teach preschool and do everyone's errands.  I live an
exciting life.  The dogs and I have become quite close because I am their
care giver now.  Devin is just too busy!  We do have a couple of people
coming to look at Buck to see if they can use him.  But, Mia is definitely
going to continue to be part of the family and she continues to find a way
to get out of her kennel!  I have also been mowing all the lawns and bagging
all the leaves that have fallen so far.  It is a lot of work, but sure looks
nice at least until the wind picks up  and fills the yard up again.
 I am trying to study 'excel' a little every day so I can start using it
more efficiently. Dad and I are getting up early every morning and
exercising. It feels good to get back to some kind of routine and working
out again.
 Dad and I went to a dinner tonight and hosted a couple from Springville.
He is a multi millionaire, is 68 years old and still running.  His name is
Hal Wing and he owns a company called "Little Giant Enterprise" They made
ladders.  It was very interesting to talk to him and his wife.  They are
here to speak at an Entrepreneurs workshop on Campus.  He owns 44 cars and
you should have seen the two rings he had on....HOLY COW!!!  He just bought
a farm in Nephi also. Well, enough of all that.
 We hope everyone is doing well.  We are proud of all of you and love you
all so much.  We pray for you daily and we are so thankful that you are
doing so well and have the desire to do what is right and serve the Lord.
Love, Mom , Dad and Devin

I will attempt to send pictures of Carolyn's cake and Devin's date.